Stroke Recovery

What exactly does a stroke do?

The cause of a stroke is a blockage (ischemic) or rupture (hemorrhagic) in a blood vessel. The symptoms you might experience include numbness or weakness, confusion, trouble speaking or understanding, trouble seeing, dizziness, trouble with coordination, or severe headache. If you think you or someone around you is having a stroke, call 911!

When do physical therapists come in?

PTs are part of the rehab team! So, after the doctors give the okay, PTs can come in and start helping. This can be in the hospital, after you leave the hospital, or both.

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What kinds of things do PTs help with after a stroke?

PTs can give you exercises to strengthen the muscle groups needed for walking and balance. They can also help improve your coordination. These types of exercises were one of my favorites to watch. As a patient would reach for a ball or other small object the PT was holding, I could imagine them in their home, reaching for a can in a cabinet or a hairbrush on a counter or a pull cord for a fan.

Physical therapists can also provide training to you and your family members or caretakers on how to safely get you moved from one place to another. In addition, PTs provide training on how to safely use things like canes, walkers, wheelchairs, and prosthetics.

Oh, side note that I will cover more thoroughly on a later post: Physical therapists can help you find the right size wheelchair, braces (not the ones for teeth!), walkers, canes, and other devices you might need. They can also adjust or resize some of these items so they fit you better.

This site has a lot of useful info, if you’re curious to know more:
https://www.choosept.com/symptomsconditionsdetail/physical-therapy-guide-to-stroke

I’d love to hear your questions! Drop ‘em below in the comments!